MY WITCH 27:Thoughts in the Boy
by NotQuiteNormOld
Summary: WxC, WxP, ExP, ExC... After the events of Walk This Way, a dream appears to have been shared, and Elyon's suspicions begin to grow, whilst Caleb is finally getting some answers.. Though will they be helpful or just complicate things..?
1. Chapter 1

Right, before we even start, please remember that when Cedric says 'mon', he is speaking French and saying 'my', but the _Escanor _'mon', is simply said before a name to basically note that they are younger. Happy readings and please R&R! :)

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><p><em>Elyon Escanor gazed out at the glum sky, where a lighter shade of grey signaled to her that morning was soon to arrive. Dusk. It was hard to tell at first; the difference between nightfall and morning. Now Elyon only found it hard to differentiate between morning and mourning. The skies must, surely, crave their suns.. As much as Phobos had confessed to craving a sister. To craving her. The idea had brushed like a cold breeze; leaving a tingle right in the very inner walls of her lungs, and causing her to smile and blush giddily at him fr lack of oxygen there.. Or was that a dream? It was becoming so hard for her to tell with these things.. "Mon Elyon?"<em>

_Mon. It had sounded strange; foreign; like it might not mean the precious 'my', and yet it was far more delicate somehow, than when the Lord Cedric spoke it. And that rattled her. "What do you want?"_

_Elyon snapped it, but her eyes had grown wide and apologetic by the time her corseted frame had swiveled to look at the shaggy brown that fell over Caleb's bowing head; cloaking what she knew to be a face of strong, yet boyish features, and virtuously powerful green eyes: translucently perfect the last time she'd seen them paired with the contents of his neck spilling out over his t-shirt - there was blood, she was sure, undetectable on her ruby carpet - but his eyes had shone with caring yet defiance; love and hate; like crystal or diamonds, emeralds in his blooded face. But when he finally raised his body from the floor, he only looked at her with a childish confusion, and slight sadness in his grassy eyes, "I.. I don't.."_

**...**

The dim light of the early morning shone with a rose-colour quilting the town of Heatherfield. Romantic, some might conclude, though Caleb would only call such a light which was shining down into his little window a harassment. Because, he would argue listlessly, light was quick to banish his sleep. It wouldn't matter to Caleb that it had been dark when he'd awoken.

"Fuck." Caleb lay back, as he had been for hours, on a hard lumpy mattress that had never seemed as uncomfortable before. And Caleb's eyes flashed erratically in the dusky light; lost in thought; a double-sided match in his head: Caleb had debated with himself long through the latest hours of night, right until now. And though arguments seemed to conclude at this time, no one ever said a conclusion would permit such a thing as sleep - and the sport disinterested him now, as his dreams had only visited the lair of Phobos, and Caleb did not wish to find Elyon's room again.. Even if he had the answer now. Because it wasn't what he wanted, it was what he felt he needed.

He was going to have to have her.

He was going to have to have all of her, instead of the little he'd been satisfied by, because whether it was what he needed or not, it was all or nothing now. In the current state of his relationship, Caleb was quite happy with the give and take with Will. Or maybe he hadn't been happy; Caleb didn't really know anymore, but it couldn't last either way.

It had never been inappropriate, in his eyes and (as far as he could tell) Will's, for Caleb to search for a hand when he needed one. And in turn, Caleb would let her do the same and Caleb had always found the human contact a Godsend. Dreaming of Will had never bothered him either, though a subconscious fear had never allowed his confession to Will's own ears. It just didn't seem that bad.

His 'family' gave him the _pride _of Will; that ownership of rights that Caleb hadn't ever really taken note of. He'd never really cared why he'd nearly killed Drake, or why he'd followed her last night when he knew she would be with a heavy crowd of rebel men. But it was because in the Metaworld, Will was _his. _And that ownership did not stretch to Earth.. It wasn't a want of his, Caleb had thought, to have Will all for his own, but the agitated murmur boy was being forced to reconsider. That there might not be a difference between that want, and his desire. That Caleb didn't want anyone else to take her from him.

Padded footsteps outside the basement door came down the stairs and closer, and a foolish jolt wished it would be Will. But no, he ought to know fine well that she was the only of the five girls _not _to have slept upstairs, so instead Caleb only wished for it not to be Cornelia. "Are you awake?"

"I'm jealous." It had slipped out with no discomfort when Caleb had heard that it was Irma at the door. Then he'd hoped to God she was alone.

She was, apparently, because when he shifted to sit, she'd climbed the ladder and shuffled up beside him as she often did; with their backs to the wall, Caleb could see the tiny holes where they'd thrown darts at Cornelia's picture for a joke. It hadn't ever helped him any that Irma couldn't throw a single good shot, so he'd got the worst of the glowering. "I know you are."

"Do you think _she _knows?"

The silence was louder than before, and it took Irma a moment to smirk at him. "Well you didn't even notice."

Caleb sat then, sitting in the cool morning air and wondering if she might only laugh. If he spoke his mind to her. Then again, she hadn't laughed yet, and Caleb had to admit that it was a miracle if Irma could go more than three sentences without saying _something _sarcastic, or some other type of funny remark. "I'd like to have her... For her to have me."

She looked at him a little funnily, but Caleb didn't know how else to say it and found himself staring at his intertwining fingers on his lap. Drake would say that he'd like to _'take' _a woman, but Caleb wanted nothing of such a sort, and nerves rattled through him that that might be what Irma thought he meant. What Drake did was crude; immoral, Caleb knew that and Irma was grimacing at him in a way that made him feel like he'd committed a crime - like he was the immature, child next to a consoling adult, rather than a thirteen year old brunette. "You'd better hope she's not taken then.."

"What?" Caleb stared at Irma in shock, but Irma only snickered at the panic that must've crossed his features.

"If Matt's claimed her.." Caleb stared at Irma, worrying when she looked down at her own pajama shorts that covered her lap, but relaxing when she looked up and smiled at him, "I think you've got a chance though. She likes you."


	2. Chapter 2

"Hay Lin I swe-" Will's tired words were cut by an unrestrained yawn as she stared sleepily at 07:06AM flashing angrily at her. "It's barely even morning!"

_"You know.."_ Will let her head drop back against the pillow of her bed when Irma's anxious voice rattled through the screeching wail of her phone. Of course it would be Irma. On Hay Lin's phone. _"You could come here for breakfast if you want."_

Inviting her to eat at Hay Lin's house. Will snickered at the idea in a sleepy delirium, "So, what.. Do you just live there now?"

_"I don't know what you're talking about, and besides.." _Will let her eyelids close, and felt herself drifting in what was meant to be a build up of tension with the silence. _"It was Caleb's idea."_

Will's brown eyes opened at twelve times the speed that they'd closed, and she suddenly felt very awake; taking a few moments to relax and grin where she lay. "If you're going to lie, I'd be more likely to believe I was summoned by Mrs Lin."

_"Yan Lin? Oh, well she wants you too; she tol.."_ Will lost a few sentences as she pushed herself off the bed and stretched, before tucking the mobile back between her shoulder and ear, just in time to hear, _"But I think that's technically classed as pedophilia." _And leaving Will's grin stretched from ear to ear.

"Okay.. I don't wanna know.. But anyway, I meant Hay Lin's mom. _Joan?_" Will released another yawn and wiped her eyes; grabbing a towel, and shuffling through to the bathroom whilst Irma resorted to threatening, "Look, fine, I'm coming.. But if I die of sleep deprivation, or drown in the shower, or get run over on the way over.. You can explain it to my mother."

_"That's okay. I'll get Taranee to do it."_

**...**_  
><em>

Prince Phobos had watched the morning sky; unsurprised, but impressed when the dim light rose over mountains in the distance. Elyon was bound to relight the sun at some point, but it was almost splendid that she'd managed the fete without any assistance. Certainly of no monument; the dim glow barely contrasted the cloudy sky, but Phobos knew how large that sun was; how far away it had to be; how much power he'd managed to absorb before it dulled to nothing. "Congratulations, little Elyon."

Now he would be able to see her power in the sky; burning brighter for every day she was closer to her fate. Prince Phobos was starting to think she might even deserve more than the roses. Death would be far more satisfying for her, and she had proven herself as slightly more than a foggy eyed, repulsive brat. And plus, he'd much prefer to think that his roses; the inferiors of the Metaworld, would be feeding off of her rotting corpse below them. That she would serve them after her despicable ignorance. "Shall I send a maiden with a meal?"

Prince Phobos grinned softly to Cedric; the man had moved to become fairly obliging and the snake had never seemed as _servantly _as he had been recently. Compliant. Lord Cedric wasn't frightened, yet seemed content with his position in a way that he'd take every few months, and Prince Phobos knew that Miranda saw too much in the snake. The little female saw connection where there was not, and Prince Phobos had almost considered revoking Cedric's ability when he'd realized what the new Lord was doing with her. "No Cedric. Bring her to eat with me."

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/**

_Elyon jumped as much as Caleb, when Prince Phobos' throat cleared behind them. Prince Phobos smiled softly; enjoying that he saw Elyon's heart loosening from it's place in her chest when she realized that he wasn't directing his attention to her. Her gaze followed him, Phobos knew, as he walked directly past her confused, almost openly jealous__ features, to the boy apparently trying to press himself into the wall behind him. "Oh yes, my brother, what is it that you want?"_

_But Caleb's eyes only widened in fear, and Phobos snarled when the boy's body disappeared; highly doubting that Elyon or Caleb would have instantly perfected the sport of teletransporting, Prince Phobos knew it was a dream and happily strode past his sister again, waiting himself, to awaken.  
><em>

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/**

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><p>If you can't tell, the very first passage in chap1 and this last passage are dreams.. (incidentally theand that which Caleb happened also to seem to have had..).<p>

More chapters later after I've done my work :)


	3. Chapter 3

Okay.. My family are all staying out overnight in various places, I have delicious foodstuffs, and the computer is free until tomorrow afternoon at the earliest.. Let's see what we can do!

Disclaim: I'm not religious myself, but don't mean for this next passage to be in anyway offensive; it's just that Caleb is the type of stubborn bloke that I think would be less than worried about offending religions he thought to be ridiculous (I already wrote that he tells Hay Lin rants about how religion annoys him).

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><p>It was half past seven when Caleb stumbled into the kitchen and Cornelia Hale found herself staring down at the slightly soggy cereal. Anything other than the sight of him; it not helping that the boy seemed to always forget that he was dining with four <em>girls<em>, and he'd only apparently worn a pair of boxers to bed. Again. He did it fairly often, and Cornelia had never minded the fact that he was fairly ripped, and in fact was proud to be the only one here to have noted that a lack of any noticeable scars would only be a reflection of his skill in battle. "Will is coming for breakfast."

"S-she's wh-at?" Cornelia's blue eyes shot up when Caleb choked at Irma's word; spilling a dribble of tea down his chin, that he wiped off as his green eyes surveyed the brunette. Caleb had never truly seemed to take all that well to Will, less so than Cornelia herself now that she'd made it good with the redhead, but Cornelia had always seen it as Will pushing away rather than Caleb pulling. They clashed; collided, and nothing could help it, but right now Cornelia was envious of the fact that Will had been wise enough to see the difference between charms and general politeness. Caleb was a rebel leader of another world, and with a face like that he probably had first choice, even over the older boys. Caleb didn't want an Earth girl, and certainly not one who barely met his age..

"When's your birthday?" Cornelia's blue eyes opened wide and raised again to meet shocking green that almost looked.. Furious. It was gone in an instant though, and Cornelia was left blushing profusely as Irma chuckled throatily at her bazaarness of question. "I.. I just wondered.. Will told us you were.."

And there it was again; a flash of emotion which Caleb seemed to blink to hide away, and Cornelia entirely forgot what she was saying from the complete penetration of the almost yellowing lime of his eyes.. They changed a lot, and Cornelia had never understood if it was the lighting or his mood, because it didn't really link up either way, but.. "It's December 25th, and I'm fucking Jesus."

Irma positively cackled at that, and Hay Lin stood up from where she'd quietly been sitting; sifting through the cereal for the _prize, _she currently had a defiance in her eyes that Cornelia smirked at - apparently she was going to take Jesus' side on this. "Don't say that!"

She walked up to the boy leaning against the counter then, and whispered something in his ear that made him snicker. "I truly doubt _'God' _will smite me, lígo Hay Lin."

"Oh, he will." Cornelia smiled as Hay Lin tapped the tip of her nose rather than the side; it had taken the blonde nearly a year to realize that Hay Lin was _not _just trying to be funny. It was adorable really, especially considering that Cornelia was quite sure that Hay Lin was neither christian, nor catholic, so what she was doing defending God, Cornelia really didn't know.

The smile became a grin as Hay Lin kept her eyes on Caleb, walking away backwards and continuing further she needed to - backing straight into a soaking haired Will, who caught Hay Lin (who'd screamed in shock) and Cornelia watched knowingly as Will's gaze finally met Caleb and the girl immediately scowled. "And you call me naked? You're wearing less that I was!"

She knew exactly what Will was talking about thanks to Hay Lin, and smirked at Caleb as the boy's cheeks flared. It was fairly impressive considering they'd all had bets Will would be the one embarrassed, yet Caleb was proving them wrong by quickly evacuating the  
>room.<p>

**...**

"It's a beautiful morning." Elyon blushed heavily, as Prince Phobos eyed the greenly tinted window with a smile as the meek sunlight slipped through and made patterns dance over their faces. She'd woken up in cold sweat with images of a less friendly look on her Prince's face, and couldn't stand to look out at the dusky clouds that only replenished her memories, but they weren't even believable, Elyon continued to chide herself. Caleb was in no way an innocent, and Elyon did not wear a corset, and Prince Phobos would not ever ignore her as he had in the dream. No, his eyes would always be on her, Elyon reminded herself, much in the way that they pervaded her core now: paired with a smile that could melt ice. "The sun is very beautiful."

Elyon found her pinking self staring at her morning meal rather than looking at him, as a tiny voice in the distance tried to remind her of what shame was. The minuscule echo became a shout when it pointed out he'd complimented the sun and not herself. "I.. It was a bit dark, and.."

"It's breathtaking." So were the words as he spoke them and Elyon felt her throat go dry, but hastened her cutting and letting her eyes wander to the standing Lord Cedric, who appeared to be eying the meal as she ate it; leaving Elyon with an immense guilt at the fact that he was hungry, and she was eating more than she even wanted, simply so that her despicable mind could prolong the meal with a man who happened to be her brother. "A rose is a delicate thing Elyon, but it is only beautiful if we have the light that enables us to see it. A flower needs sunlight to grow, and magic can only help that so much.. The gardens will flourish thanks to you."

"Prin- Phobos..?" Elyon moved the food about on her plate with her fork, and stared at it with the interest of it being something addictive. Elyon had always loved how Phobos said things like that, but there was a doubt that troubled her mind. "Do you know Caleb..?"

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><p><strong>Lígo -<strong> little


	4. Chapter 4

Cedric pushed Elyon forward by the shoulders at a pace, positively beaming whenever he was out of her peripheral. She'd asked him about Caleb, and when Phobos said he'd escaped before, Elyon had asked him why he wasn't just killed, because the girl was bright enough, and she'd correctly presumed the death penalty to be used.. But she'd suggested it for Caleb. And it had been a beautiful sight to see Phobos features tense and then watch the Prince stand to approach and kiss her on the forehead without a word. And the frustration of forcing himself to press such _'fine lips' _on her supposedly pathetic head.. "You are a very intriguing woman, Elyon."

Lord Cedric knew she liked to be called a woman, but she continued to let his hands clutch either shoulder as he walked her through the halls toward Miranda in her suite. There was no reason to hide that Miranda had a fancy room, and as Phobos had quoted, Elyon needed someone to _'play' _with. "He didn't seem to think so."

"Well.. That would be because he is your brother, and a brother doesn't see a woman you know." Cedric smiled, and crouched a little to meet her height as Elyon stopped and turned to him; curious. "A brother sees a sister."

She took too long before she smiled then, and Cedric found his fingers brushing over the bone of her jaw; itching to venture to her mouth, but he didn't want to scare her. That was entirely a falsity, and Cedric knew that his inner smile reached his features as he let his thumb slip gently to rest directly below her mouth. _Actually, _it was all he wanted to scare her, but Cedric knew he wouldn't, and if he was to get ahead of Phobos, he couldn't kiss her on the head where he had. Cedric studied her features with a smile until Elyon breathed a laugh nervously. "Yeah.. I guess you're right.."

And he'd barely had to touch her.[0]

**...**

Caleb was yet to return from his embarrassment, and Will was quite honestly thankful because she could understand, now, why he'd looked at the ceiling; she wasn't even pretty, while Caleb's nearly naked form was enough for her to want to stare anywhere else.. Because to be quite frank, he _was_. Though _'pretty' _was most definitely not the word, and Irma leaned over the table as Will sat down, with presumption in her eyes and a smirk on her mouth. "Smokin' isn't he?"

"Oh, piss off. Irma!" Will knew she'd gone too far in the fakely appalled tone, as Taranee looked up from her book; raising a skeptical eyebrow, as Hay Lin giggled, Irma continued her 'dreamy' eyes, and Cornelia.. Well Cornelia seemed to only have eyes for her cereal, and took a few extra seconds to blink and look up in confusion. But it was Taranee who Will would have to worry about.

"Oh, for Gods sakes Will!" Irma slipped back into her seat to let Taranee take the stage, and Will rolled her eyes and crossed her arms as she pouted. What, so what? Who even cared? "I'd entrusted you to be a sane contributor to conversation!"

"Yeah Will, Gawd.." Will squinted her eyes to slits when Irma smiled and shook her head theatrically, "Can't you keep it in your pants with just _one _boy!"

At this, Cornelia's eyes lit a little, and Will became mad at Irma for a whole knew reason; Irma was lighting more fires than she could put out, and Will felt any of her tired empathy drop when Hay Lin joined in giddily. "Oh yeah! And now we just have two Cornelia's! Ha ha!"

"Soo.." Will was glad she'd decided to ignore the current conversation, and watched Cornelia's slim, pretty fingers pull an equally delicate mug to directly in front of her; a single fingertip then glazing the circumference of the mug-top as her blue eyes looked at Will warmly. Little did the blonde know that a girl's usual dream to talk 'date' would be Will's worst nightmare. "How did you like Matt?"

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><p><strong>[0] <strong>Because unlike Cedric, Phobos had had to kiss her head, just so that she wouldn't think he was leaving because he was angry at her (which he was - funny that he's disgusted that she's accepting what _he _does as okay).**  
><strong>


	5. Chapter 5

"Matt?" All 'Caleb'-noise had ceased, when Will's slightly too high pitched voice verbalized the name, and Taranee's heart sank when the girl laughed in the _'Will' _way. Laughing meant unease, unease meant avoidance, and Taranee was not too dumb to know that avoidance generally meant a bad date. "It was brilliant."

Or a good date.. Taranee frowned and wondered if maybe Will was just a teeny, tiny, eensy bit afraid of the way Cornelia was smiling at her.. Taranee knew she would be; the center of attention had never been as appealing to Taranee as Cornelia seemed to find it. And Taranee knew that the blonde only meant well by giving that attention to Will - if anything the generosity was in the fact that she'd already scolded the wilder thirteen year-olds; telling them last night that they'd _'better not ruin Will's moment'_, as though Will was suddenly the most important thing. Cornelia hadn't even _mentioned_ Caleb. "Anndd..?"

Taranee grinned as Will looked confused by Irma's interested drawl, because she could tell exactly what Will was thinking: _'they expect more?'_. "What?"

"Did 'e kiss you?" Taranee's eyes ventured over as Caleb stepped back into the room a few seconds after the words toward his probably cold tea; fully dressed in a t-shirt and jeans, and apparently his wet hair signified a shower, but Hay Lin's question lingered in the air much more prominently to the others, than the boy's arrival apparently did.

"Does it matter?" Will's brown eyes shone in honest ignorance; they had always looked big, but they looked positively huge when draped in the innocence and childishness even Hay Lin had sometimes bypassed.

Cornelia was the one who nodded all-knowingly in the topic of boys.. Though Taranee had noticed a distinct absence of 'Caleb and Cornelia'; especially on the way home, as Cornelia had always prophecized the importance of 'being walked home'. Of course they had walked to the house _together_, but Taranee had expected them to break off rather than staying in the group as they had. And as far as Taranee had seen, he'd been a gentleman all night; the only flaw being that Caleb had made it quite clear from early on in their knowing one another, that he did not dance. But Cornelia had seemed more focused on Will anyway, and it would seem that guilt or some foreign emotion, was causing the blonde to be a '_great _friend', rather than settling for just being a 'friend' to Will. "Oh yes, kissing is what tells you whether you should bother or not."

"_'Kissing on the forehead means he's your brother'._" Taranee grinned as Irma took on a girly tone; flicking her hand in camp waves, and swishing her hair erratically as she pretended to be Cornelia - reciting the blonde girl's well-practiced words. "_'If he kisses you on the cheek he's your friend.. And if he kisses you on the lips it means he likes you!'_."

Irma finished off with a giggle, and even Cornelia could hide a disbelieving smile at Irma's pure ridiculousness, but Taranee glanced back at Will (knowing from experience that the best was to come from Hay Lin, who couldn't apparently get her voice to sound 'girly' so always substituted Cornelia's voice with another) only for her smile to fall at the redhead's paled features.. She looked like a ghost, and Taranee wondered if she might be sick as Hay Lin exchanged her voice with a gruff, low, mannish one. "_'But if he goes too far, you should kick him down while you're ahead!'_.. Will..?"

Taranee watched, amongst the others, Will's quickly descending back as she strode past them; apparently down the stairs rather than to the bathroom and Taranee let her gaze wander to the still puzzled looking Caleb. "I think she's gone to hurl on your bed."

**...**

Elyon looked up from the floor, only when Cedric cleared his throat behind her. It had made her jump and Elyon had initially thought it was Prince Phobos.. But that was ridiculous. "Miranda's in there?"

It was a larger door than her own, and a moment of resentment wondered why Phobos had given it to the little girl, but Elyon pushed the feeling that couldn't possibly be jealousy down as she reached for the door handle, only to be interrupted by Cedric. "Apologies, Princess, but I'd ask you to knock.. Fear me, if I'd like to see such a girl without decency.."

Elyon blushed at Cedric's awkwardness at her mistake; Miranda could be getting dressed, and Cedric was fidgeting at the embarrassment of having to even think of it. "S-sorry.. Right, I should have.."

Elyon's suddenly shaking hands knocked on the door far too loudly, and she noticed Cedric's hand dropping from her back as Miranda opened the door that looked much to heavy for such a girl to hold. She didn't miss how the little girl's eyes instantly roamed to Cedric's rather than her own, cloudy grey. But Cedric only gently placed his hand momentarily on Elyon's shoulder from behind, and nodded formally to Miranda. Obviously he was embarrassed that the girl had a crush on him. "I'll not stay and interrupt you."

"Oh.. Okay.." Elyon wished he'd stay and that Miranda would leave.


	6. Chapter 6

Okay, WxC goin' maaad.. And this would be part one of it as it continues.

* * *

><p>"Go away." Will frowned furiously at the space in front of her, rather than the door; a desperate attempt that, <em>she never seemed to learn,<em> would only intensify her quivers to shakes. It would be Taranee, Will thought instantly, and pressed her lips into a pout to hold the lingering apology for the harshness of her words. After all, it could just as easily be Irma.. Or Hay Lin.. "Cornelia?"

"Arith.." Will cursed then, a low toned whisper heard only by herself, because she hadn't thought of Caleb, despite the obviousness that she was sat in his room; on his chair; with his damp towel soaking through her jeans, but the redhead was too damned stubborn to pull it from beneath her left leg. "If you want I can get he.."

"I don't want her Caleb." Will didn't even glance, as she stared listlessly as a clumsily open book that lay on the floor; a pattern-like inscription where English should be. The room was silent; there was no shouts or laughter from upstairs, and Will knew she'd have heard if he moved from the door that clicked shut behind him. "He never did.. I don't even think I wanted him to.."

Will turned to catch his reaction; sure of his silence, but not of the way he'd take it.. Not that it mattered, but Will couldn't help but want to know.. Because Caleb was like.. Well, he was older, and she trusted him to have better perception than the brash blonde upstairs.

He never spoke though; only fingering a loose string on his denim pants so that she couldn't even read his features. And she didn't know what else to do; only that she didn't like the silence. "..And I didn't want them to know.. Because they'll laugh if I didn't get a kiss."

"But you did get a kiss." Caleb's head shot up and his emerald eyes shone with a defiant, matter-of-fact-ness that made Will smile through her awkwardness; if only because she understood exactly what he was talking about. "Drake kissed you."

Will grinned at him, rolling her eyes as he finally seemed assured enough to come closer; striding to her and sitting directly opposite her, pulling the chair inches from hers as she granted him the sardonic tone she saved for no-one. "Oh, wow, yeah Caleb, you do realize a kiss from someone you dislike is about as good as negative-kisses from someone you _do _like." It didn't make sense, even to her, but Caleb didn't snicker at her math. "Drake is a pig."

"Am I a pig too?" It was neither hurt, nor joking, and Will looked to her knees guiltily as she realized that he'd been taking her more seriously than she'd thought.. She but her lip as she thought of how the poor boy must feel to be called names all of the time, when Will could at least understand that on the rare occasion he _called _her something mean, he didn't mean it in the slightest. He'd already apologized for being so blunt around her.. For being himself..

"No, Caleb of course you're not a.." The sentence dropped midair, and Will's eyes widened at his sudden closeness to her face; wondering more of why he'd stopped than started, but she felt the tug from under her leg, and his green eyes were on the towel that his right hand had touched due to him placing his hands on either side of her. She moved her leg when he tugged it again, but she continued to stare at him, until his eyes once again met hers not an inch apart. The air was thick; pungent with his scent and Will wasn't even sure if she was breathing when he moved back away and stood - walking to the radiator and pushing the towel over it's surface. And she suddenly knew why he'd asked if he were a pig, but Will couldn't find any words before he was sitting on the chair opposite her again.. Will couldn't find any strength as he eased her hand out from it's place on her lap; nor when he took her other in his free hand.

"You know.. I was forced to rethink some things recently.. And I decided last night." Will truly hoped she wasn't looking at him with the shock she felt; if she were, she'd neither look pretty, nor would he feel very comfortable in ignoring her staring at him like he'd turned into a cucumber. "Everything has beauty. It's just that not everyone can see it."

So he was going to pull _'inner-beauty'_ crap out? Will tried to jerk her hands away and tell him to fuck of, but all that her body seemed able to do was open her mouth and close it once again as he turned her hands on his and glance down at them; letting his thumbs slide down her palms before he smiled at her.

"If you are right handed, your right hand is your major hand and your left hand is your minor hand and vice versa.." Will frowned at Caleb's sudden change in tone, wondering, for lack of better phrasing in her state of shock, what the hell he was on. "The minor hand shows what we are born with, and the major hand shows what we have done with it.. In other words, you would read your minor hand to find out your potential, and you would read your major hand to indicate how fully you have lived up to your potential."

Will's eyes widened in skeptical disbelief. He was about to kiss her.. Then he does this? "Are you gonna read my palms..?"

"No, palm reading is stupid, and about as factual as Yan Lin's fortune cookies." At this, Will snickered and Caleb smirked with her at the humor of his petulance.

"Then why do you know how to do it?"

Caleb's smirk dimmed then, and his thumb brushed over her palms absentmindedly as he seemed to mull over a suitable answer. He did it when he was about to lie too, but the flickering smile told her he didn't intend to. "I know lots of things."

She raised an eyebrow at that, but let any tension in her fingers drop; he seemed to feel it as the next thing she knew he was rearranging his legs to cross beneath him, and pulling her hands so she had to lean forward as he rested the left hand on his knee as though she wasn't allowed it back till he was done.

"The ancients believed everything in nature was composed of four elements: Air, Water, Earth, and Fire. There are four types of hands, each corresponding with one of the classical elements. Your hand and finger shape, feel and other general characteristics will give a basic overview of your general character and personality." Caleb rough palm slide beneath her hand as he talked; curving her right hand into a loose ball within his own as course of demonstration. She loved when he did this; immersed himself in telling every fact as a story - she was sure he might even make her interested in math if he tried.. But he didn't like math, though hadn't he just said he didn't like palmistry? "The flexibility of your hand and fingers tells a lot about your talents and adaptability.."

Will watched with an awe-inspired hint of a smile as he flexed her hand straight again.

"You thumb.. It represents and reveals insight about one other unique human trait that can be either your greatest strength or your biggest weakness, your Ego. The thumb represents the ego and shows characteristics of self confidence, stubbornness, logical ability, willpower, and determination." Caleb smiled when he looped his finger and thumb around hers. "You, little Will, have a very small thumb."

"And yours looks a lot bigger than it should be." Will challenged, not bothering to look at his, because she was quite certain he hadn't bothered with hers.

"Now this one is important and I want you to pay attention Will." Caleb's entire demeanor seemed to change; the joke lost and his tone almost sad, "Your Life Line is your _chi_, or your life breath."


	7. Chapter 7

"Your Life Line signifies your health, vitality, and the energy with which you will live your life. Your Life Line will reflect periods of illness, personal stress, or discontentment in your life. It also shows how adventurous you are and whether you are a traveler, among many other things." Caleb paused then; fully aware that she could hear his voice wavering with shaky breath. He pulled his hands away from hers and traced the rounded line on his own flattened palm to show her, before pushing her palms to her own lap in resignation. He wasn't sure if it was a good idea any more, as he failed to give her a smile. "You have to look at how deep it is, or if it's broken."

His eyes stung a little; with a pity for the girl who eagerly squinted at both of her hands for several long seconds, before she looked up, frowning. "Show me again. Wher-"

"Here, little Will," Caleb smiled soberly, as he traced the back of his thumbs over the smooth, contour-free round of her skin. It hurt when she stared at him, confused, but he didn't want to lie to her. "I've never heard of anyone without a lifeline before."

**...**

"Miranda.." Miranda stared lifelessly at the Princess Elyon Escanor, wishing that Cedric hadn't brought her as the child's wavering frame did nothing to entertain her. Miranda had generally been the one to entertain, and couldn't see much more than a very plain face in this child who fidgeted before her. "Miranda, why are you here."

Because your brother murdered my parents. Miranda smirked at the idea of saying it, but she had to thank him for keeping her here. If he'd left her to die, she'd never have had the chance to despise her life as much as she did with Elyon. "M-my parents.. Th-they.. Ph-Phobos.."

Miranda burrowed into Elyon's arms with practiced tears, and wondered if Elyon would ever try such a thing with Phobos[0]. Lord Cedric had told her how Elyon lusted.. Before he'd developed is own sensual lust, and Miranda wondered too, if the royal home had always housed such sexual escapades as it was now. In the crook of Elyon's neck, Miranda smiled at the idea of an anguished Phobos; thinking of his mother, while a near identical morsel nursed such a foul blood as herself.

**...  
><strong>

"Oh." Will really didn't know what else to say, and she faintly recalled him staring at her hands the previous night, before movement brought her dazedly back to the present, and he took both of her hands; still palm up in his, and pressed his lips against them. And suddenly Will felt embarrassed, only because she'd probably have laughed at such a revelation a few months back. And it was embarrassing that she suddenly felt like she'd lost something, when surely it had never been there. And now she had a boy kissing her hands for the second time, and a different reason... Or maybe he really was trying to kiss it better. "Caleb.."

He'd twisted his hands, in one sharp movement, so that their fingers intertwined, and it suddenly felt more sober in the air, than she'd ever felt in her life. He only had one thing to say then, before he left. "Why don't you ask Cornelia what that means."

And she wasn't sure if he meant her hands, or the scalding ghosts of the kisses scattered over them.


	8. Chapter 8

Last one tonight.. Then I'm open to PMing/MSNing for anyone who'd like to beg me for spoilers ;)

R&R if you're enjoying it :P

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><p>Lord Cedric smiled; grinned in the dim sunlight that showered over his skin and the roses. By God, he was tempted to touch them now and get it over with; to clench his fists around their thorns.. To rush and take Elyon with him; with her screaming as he did so, just for Phobos to hear as he took her body, then trapped her mind. That was surely what Phobos wanted to do with his Keeper. "She is growing my Prince."<p>

Prince Phobos was more careful than he'd ever be with an being, as his fingers traced an undetectable distance from the bud of each rose that drew his attention, and Cedric realized the Prince had been careless to take Elyon unknowingly to a place so beautifully dangerous. Careless.. Or at least without care.

**...**

"Ellipí omilitís. Get up Ellipí omilitís." Yan Lin pried tired eyes open, as her bed jerked. It took her only a few seconds to realize Caleb was kicking her wooden bedframe, with anger in his eyes. "It's morning Ellipí omilitís.."

Yan Lin wasn't entirely sure, but was wise enough to hold unease as to what he might be calling her. "What's-"

"It means a mispronouncer.. Someone who says things that don't quite mean the exact words they speak." Yan Lin swallowed; unsure of the Metaworld's ethics on torture, or physical punishment.. During a war, they couldn't be strong, and a rebellion would be strict enough to punish even the whitest lies. "In other words, Mrs Lin.. It means a liar."

"I didn't lie to you Caleb," Yan Lin sat up; her long hair wavy and unkept as she met Caleb's furious little green eyes. "If anything, you have lied to me."

Caleb shrank back then; though it was hard to tell because his features held their defiance. "I wasn't lying.. I changed my mind.."

"And how am I supposed to trust that Caleb.." Yan Lin frowned at the young boy, who only looked more childish when he turned his face away, sulkily. The Metaworld would have to be desperate, if they were to send a child to lead a battle. But what was much more prominently worrying to Yan Lin, was that morality and age limits were generally more or less floundered during the Earth wars, and Yan Lin was truly curious as to what Caleb thought he could ever get from Will. Didn't he understand that she would fight him? ..Unless he knew she would, and Yan Lin wondered if that was why he'd initially approached her unconscious.. The ill-fated youth were never brought up to understand what it could do to a person. But Will wouldn't understand that it wasn't his fault, and Yan Lin doubted she ever could either. "How am I supposed to trust you?"

She'd really hoped for an answer, but Caleb's glare was like ice; cut glass that could cut on brush-contact. He wasn't thinking with his head, and Yan Lin tried to remember that he wouldn't mean what he was saying. "You trust me with your Granddaughter. How am I meant to let her.."

Caleb's voice faltered at _'her' _and Yan Lin doubted she would sleep again today without nightmares. It had been getting harder to wake early in the morning, since the connection above had dwindled to nil in the past months. She knew nothing, but that there was a boy standing before her, with green eyes and a broken voice.

"How am I meant to let her fight our deaths.. When she is not meant to be here at all..?"

And Yan Lin could do nothing, but sit in silence; knowing she'd only pain him more if she tried to explain it again.. Will was meant to be here.. Just not quite.. _Her_.

**...**

Prince Phobos fingered the petal of an outer layering rose; at the edges of the black gardens, he'd had red ones grown once people stopped coming; once the garden stopped growing, but he knew it ought be one rose bigger. "Cedric.."

"My Prince?" Lord Cedric rarely accompanied Phobos, but the Prince had felt something today, that he would certainly like to avoid. Sadly, the younger Lord seemed not to settle the urges of loneliness as he used to, and Phobos only smiled faintly at a young man who had never been his friend in any degree.

"Have you ever thought," Prince Phobos fingers curled down and around the bud of the plain roses petals, before suddenly his fist clenched and the rose head was ruined, and his hand opened to reveal smited petals, and a stain of red on his fingers and palm. "About the defiance of death."

"Impossible.. Your Majesty." Phobos smirked at the man, and rubbed his finger and thumb as he dropped the broken petals; a flourish of ill-shaped red, which defiantly fell as elegantly as a perfect rose might. Familiar.

"I know of a girl," Prince Phobos brought finger and thumb over his slim nostrils; breathing in the sweet scent of the rose, and it's already drying blood on his hands. "Who survived of the Black Roses."

He watched Cedric's reaction; a confusion and badly concealed surprise, which took it's time in realizing and turning into a smirk. "The Keeper would have many talents."

Phobos returned Cedric's smile, if only because of all broken roses, this girl truly had a talent to make him smile to an inferior. A paradox, Phobos knew, but Will Vandom seemed to be a paradox in herself. "Yes, I do think she would."


	9. Chapter 9

It was a useless game with Yan Lin, and Caleb had felt his entire body shaking in frustration that Yan Lin had known. That he'd floundered. That once again the elderly woman had been quicker than he was, and now he had fewer answers, and if Yan Lin didn't kick him out for his implication of Hay Lin, Caleb himself might just have to leave in shame. But he'd found himself faced with a bigger problem outside Yan Lin's door. "Don't you want us to fight for Meridian?"

"Hay Lin.." Caleb's demeanor softened, as it always did with the little girl; far more child than the others, he hoped she hadn't heard what he said about her. "I just.. Will.."

"She's just sick. She'll be okay, and we can still do it, and you don't even have to look after her or anything, 'cause Cornelia is.." Caleb watched as Hay Lin's argument slowly died out, and she was left only standing there, with watery eyes for several seconds. "I don't want to stop."

And Caleb could only get away from her little, threatening tears by pulling her into a hug; with her head barely reaching his chest. "Den thélo na sas eíte. I'm not your leader Hay Lin, but this is not your job."

"But.." Caleb forced himself to smile at her then, but left her, standing in the hall with a tear rolling down her cheek, because Hay Lin would've heard everything if she'd wanted to; secrets whispered in the wind, and she would've heard the last things he said to her Grandmother perfectly. _'I don't want the Guardians fighting **my **_battles anymore.'__ It had been a swift alternative to wanting to stay with Will. Pretending he wanted to be away from them. And he'd lied to Will anyway in the end. Because evil wasn't beautiful.

**...**

"Your brother's very kind to me.." Elyon smiled as Miranda wiped her eyes, but her mind had long wandered from whatever problems this little girl had, and Elyon wondered if he saw a woman in Miranda. Prince Phobos certainly had seemed to see one in Will once.. But, Elyon reminded herself, he'd only let her go for Elyon's sake. "He even let me eat with him sometimes, when he was lonely.."

Elyon's eyes shot up to meet a sober smile, and she suddenly felt fairly guilty of being so resentful of this girl. She was here because Phobos had been lonely. Because she was the same age as Elyon would be, and he'd wanted someone to play pretend with.. "Oh.. I'm sorry."

"Huh? Sorry?" Elyon stared as Miranda laughed off her apology; the girl not knowing what to do with it, while Elyon had meant sorry. Sorry because Elyon was here now, and Miranda couldn't play sister forever. Elyon wish she could though; that Miranda could play sister and that Elyon could..

"Um, do you wanna go for a walk?" Elyon grabbed Miranda's hand with more force than necessary, and pulled the girl up. "Just around outside? Did you see what I did with the sun..."

**...  
><strong>

If Will had been pale when she left the kitchen, she was well on her way to translucent by the time she had sat down again, and not bothered to smile. Hay Lin had fluttered off, with a pained look on her face when the muffled argument started upstairs, and Whatever was going on, Cornelia didn't like the empty-shell look Will was pulling off so easily, so she smiled as comfortingly as she could as Will stared at her listlessly over the dull-toned voices upstairs. It was Caleb and Yan Lin. Talking about Will. And Taranee leaned forward and placed a hand on Will's, "Do you want.."

Will's eyes flashed to life again, and Cornelia lost what she was saying, "Can you take me home? ..I don't feel very well.."

Even Irma was frowning at that, and Cornelia felt a little put on the spot, because she wasn't looking at Taranee. "Will.. Don't you think you'd want.."

Caleb. Cornelia's eyes flew to Irma, because suddenly she knew exactly what Irma was going to say, because Caleb was the one who looked after Will, and.. And he was the reason she was upset, so whatever he'd said was going to just hurt her even more if she went with him, and besides.. Will had asked _her._ Cornelia Hale. "Yeah Will.. Look, I can take you if you want.. Just, ah, give me a minute.. I'll get dressed.."


	10. Chapter 10

In case we are yet to notice, this isn't much more than an interlude, one in which I am _trying _to give Cornelia some sympathy, though I do have to give her the short straw for this.. So tell me if it's working please - I don't want to just seem like a bitch to Cornelia.

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><p>"I'm sorry." Will Vandom stared up at a boy who didn't have a reason to be sorry, before her eyes swiveled to those staring, of Taranee and Irma. Another glance in Caleb's direction from where she sat, and she saw Hay Lin, watching sadly in the doorway as the green eyed boy crouched so that he was just below her eye level, and clasping her hands once again. Did he really have to do this in front of them too? "I'm so, so sorry if you thought I.. Meant anything to offend you."<p>

It wasn't Caleb, in any sense of the name; it wasn't angry-Caleb, or scary-Caleb, or happy-Caleb, or guilty-Caleb. It wasn't even the scared-Caleb who'd clutched her astral drop for comfort. He just looked.. Sad. "Y-you didn't, I just.. You.."

"I... Thank you for what you've done for me." Will stared at Caleb, as he swallowed, and Will wondered what could ever possibly be so hard to say, "But it's not your job to fight Phobos."

"Are you breaking up with us?"

Whatever odd-numbness, that had earlier been inspired, disappeared to make room for a new, confused feeling as the other girls stared at him with as much accusatory skepticism as she was. He was breaking up with W.i.t.c.h. "Um.."

"You bastard! You.." And Will's hand reverberated over Caleb's face before she could stop it; leaving her staring at her own hand in disbelief as everyone in the room winced, except Caleb who jumped away and backed up several steps. "Oh.. Caleb.. I am _so _sor-"

"I was just going to say you should get a say in the battle plans!" Caleb clutched the side of his face and practically screeched as Will stared up at him blankly.. Did he just say _battle plans_? Like _real _battle plans.. "Forget it though! You needn't bother if you're gonna hit them as hard as that! OW!"

But Will was too busy beaming at him to care.

**...**

Clumsy beauty, had never been a particularly notice-worthy thing to Phobos; his mother had always liked things pristine; just so. "A dazzling rose.. I didn't even see how she might have done it."

But it _was_ that blundering Venus, who'd seemed to capture his attentions entirely, and Cedric could only grin at how she'd done it. She could survive him; she could even possibly beat him, so Prince Phobos would want to have her. He seemed to think of her already as a flower, and the young Prince may have the ability to capture a being in a rose, but how did he intend to capture a rose, if she was already caught within herself? "Perhaps you should ask her yourself."

It was a moment like this, that Lord Cedric would only be able to send such a girl his kudos, because the Prince looked far more beautiful than he had in months: it would seem that every day that the young prince acted more beautiful inside, his flawless face would look a little more jaundiced. _'Lies can kill a person.'_ It had always been odd to Cedric, that one man could seem so moral in person, even despite the worlds tragedy around him. Prince Phobos didn't like to lie; he much preferred just to avoid the truth.[0]

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><p>[0] Just like Caleb.. O.o<p> 


	11. Chapter 11

"I told you she wanted to go with Caleb." Cornelia flashed a hint of a smile, as Irma grinned lazily; practically throwing her self onto Hay Lin's couch. Will hadn't even remembered to say goodbye. "It was hilarious how she slapped him again, but I swear to God he scared us all for a second!"

Cornelia nodded as Irma babbled over-excitedly, and Taranee sat, asking something about Caleb to Hay Lin, who didn't look like she was sure whether to be happy or sad. But Will was happy, Irma'd said, and Cornelia pushed away the dryness of her throat to grin prettily, as Irma did an impression of Will accusing Caleb of leaving them, "Yeah, I actually heard her when she said that.."

"Oh, and then he took her out the door without even saying anything.. I think they may have gone to make out or.." Cornelia snickered then, before Irma scowled at her, "What! They could be-"

"Oh yes, I've heard that all war-alliances had making out between leaders - it's the equivalent of make-up sex I think.." Cornelia rolled her eyes, pulling her hair out of the loose ponytail she hurriedly tied., before flicking the hairband at Irma, "Don't be such a dunce."

**...**

Elyon Brown let her eyes soak in the precious little light the dim sun provided from the windows, as it crept over the dull, dark walls of the castle. She'd slipped away, when she'd realized that Miranda was too upset to entertain her at all, and now she walked around; letting her hands slide over every surface as a useless habit she'd contracted on Earth too many years ago to be able to just stop now. She only stopped when she reached a long corridor, and stood in the center so that she could see that no one appeared to be coming in either direction; the only actual _thing _in this part of the castle being a single door, and Elyon had traced the walls long enough to know that there were no other rooms adjoining. It had to be big, and Elyon stared for long seconds before she grasped the handle and twisted it, her entire body pressing against the wood to no avail. It was locked, and Elyon pressed her ear carefully against it, wondering if it was anything like the book: this door didn't have a keyhole.

Satisfied, finally, that she'd not be getting in, Elyon sighed and turned her back on the door, and looked both ways before crossing a line she was desperate to cross; she'd checked that no one was coming, but part of her wanted someone to hear. Part of her wanted the young Prince himself to hear her voice echo in this emptiness. "I'm attracted to my brother."

**...**

"Phobos.." Will's eyes darted to Caleb's, as he spoke the name softly; not looking at her, but she knew exactly to whom he was speaking, and she could always tell when he was talking like this, that he must feel guilty on some level, if he was revealing more of hisself. Because he only told her when he felt guilty, and his green eyes confirmed it, as they tentatively met her questioning gaze. It would seem that they were trapped in some endless cycle, and Will wondered if Caleb had noticed the odd pattern of the _'friendship of Caleb and Will_', "That brother who doesn't share my blood.. I was talking about Phobos.."

"Why?" Will didn't mean to sound so blunt, but in truth it seemed a little odd that Caleb would call an enemy _'brother'_, when there was nothing relating them at all. They were polar opposites, and it simply seemed like a silly thing to do.

But apparently Caleb was done talking about that, and his eyes searched the road and his pace increased, and Will knew when the apology was coming. She just wish she knew why he was apologizing. "Gaea.. _Cornelia_.. Stole something from me.."

Will stared at him then, with bulging eyes as she rushed herself to keep up with him and wondered if Cornelia had ever seemed the type for petty thievery. She did not, and nothing seemed to add up in Will's head, because Cornelia was rich, and Caleb had very little of any value whatsoever, and Cornelia liked Caleb, so why would she-

"Just because she stole my kiss doesn't mean that I wanted her to."

And Will wondered if she'd heard right, because she'd never even thought about if Caleb.. "You don't like her?"

The pace slowed then, and Caleb's frown refused to point itself in her direction as he scowled sulkily at the ground. And he had every right to, because everyone had just assumed. "I.. I did not want her to kiss me."

"Oh... Caleb..." She should have known. Should have thought. And now she was going to take the rap, just because Cornelia couldn't keep herself to herself, and because Will hadn't bothered to think about him. _His _life. He probably wasn't even allowed to kiss girls until he was married, and Will had basically set a hungry wolf on him.


	12. Chapter 12

Just a nice, quiet finish to my little story, before I take a break, and maybe start the Underwater Mines if I'm in a good mood (BTW: Reviews make me happy :P )..

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><p>"And I'm sorry that I nearly kissed you." Caleb stopped, as Will's large, cinnamon eyes gazed at him, and he wish he wasn't so close to her. Because nearly everything did have beauty, and Will really was more perfect than anything he'd seen before, so maybe she wasn't meant to be her for that exact reason: perfection was a dangerous thing, and it had no place running around with artificial murmur-boys. "I just thought you could tell them that you got one if I.."<p>

The words ran dry like his throat, as she engulfed him in her scent and Caleb had never noticed how it burned to have her this close before.. Or maybe he had, he couldn't remember.. He didn't care; all he knew was that when Will flung her arms around his neck in a hug, he could only control himself enough to keep his chin resting on her cherry-red hair; caring very little about how she might take his tight grip of arms around her, because he didn't want to let go.

Of course she did though, and Caleb felt the tips of his ears coloring wildly as she smiled through a bitten lip, and ran her hand through her hair.

"I'm sorry I made you feel like you had to do that.. I know you're probably not allowed seen as.." Will was slowly growing redder and Caleb wondered what she might mean as she fidgeted in front of him.. "Even though Drake.. I guess he was probably braking the rules if you can't.."

Rules? Didn't she think Meridian boys were allowed to kiss? "I'm not banished against girls Will."

Will's red cheeks somehow managed to flush more, and Caleb grinned at her insane line of thinking, glad that she didn't hide in her hands as she had when Drake had left; instead only grinning with her embarrassment and feigning a laid-back attitude. "Oh, yeah.. I know.. I just...Sorry."

"You know, you're fairly magnificent Will." Caleb grinned down at the shamelessly blushing girl before him, only enjoying the awareness of being the one causing it as he leaned closer to her. "How could I ever dream of breaking up with you?"[0]

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><p>[0] A cute, double meaning for Caleb, though please note that Will'd only assume he was making fun of her earlier accusation to W.i.t.c.h. ;)<p> 


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